Luka Doncic trekked out West for a duel.
The showdown would take place at Game 7, on the road and against a Suns team many had penciled in to represent the conference in the NBA Finals. Doncic’s Mavericks were seen by some as just another stepping stone in Phoenix’s path. A spunky squad with a generational player, but nothing more. Yet when the ball finally tipped, the roar that once echoed through the desert fell silent. And the quivering cacti that had danced all year became still.
Despite throwing various defenders his way, Doncic painted bullseyes on his targets then poured in step-backs, turnarounds and floaters with dazzling ease.